'Stop calling me 'mom' in the office': Coworker's lets his 6-year-old daughter bombard his colleague with affection in the workplace, so she takes parenting lessons into her own hands to set boundaries

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jul 20, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

For some women, it's heartwarming to have a child seek out their attention. However, this woman was cornered in her cubicle in the workplace by her colleague's 6-year-old daughter, and the little girl demanded to call her "Mom." Perhaps in another context—you know, NOT in the workplace—this might have been seen as adorable or even sweet, but this woman considered the daughter's clingy behavior a hindrance to her work, and also an inappropriate advance from her coworker. 

While the dad didn't have much say in the matter of bringing his daughter to work following a sticky divorce, he did have control over how to parent the little girl in the workplace. So when he failed to do so, his coworker was forced to take action herself, teaching the little girl some manners in the workplace because her father didn't bother to. 

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  • When I was in grade school, I accidentally called my teacher “Mom” from across the room. Mortified by my misnomer, I shriveled as the other kids laughed at me, and I never made the mistake again. For a kid, it's easy to mistakenly call an adult woman “Mom” by accident, but doing it repeatedly without correction from a parent sends a strange message. So this woman was in the right to step up and clarify a few things with the girl, keeping the record straight with a little girl who may always miss her mommy.

  • Cheezburger Image 10531072768
    via DragonImages

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • AITAH for telling my coworker's kid to stop calling me "mom" in the office? I (34F) work in a small company where we're all pretty close. One
    via ExpensiveTough9245
  • of my coworkers (39M) recently went through a divorce, and his 6- year-old daughter sometimes spends afternoons at the office until he can pick her up after school.
    via ExpensiveTough9245
  • I've always been kind to her, brought coloring books, snacks, etc. but over the last couple months she started calling me "mom" whenever she sees me. I gently corrected her at first, but it
    via ExpensiveTough9245
  • kept happening. Her dad would just laugh and say something like "Well you're better with her than her real mom!" Yesterday I was slammed with work, and when she ran up
    via ExpensiveTough9245
  • shouting "Hi mom!" I said (calmly but firmly), "Sweetheart, I'm not your mom, and you can't call me that." She got really quiet and went back to her corner. Later my coworker pulled me aside and said I didn't have to "crush her little heart like that" and accused me of being cold.
    via ExpensiveTough9245
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    via studioroman

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • I told him it's inappropriate and confusing for her to call a random adult in his office "mom," and I didn't think it was cute. Now some of my other coworkers think I overreacted. AITAH?
    via ExpensiveTough9245
  • SweetTrek5812 NTA at all, tbh. That's awful uncomfortable and your co-worker really shouldn't be encouraging it; not fair on you or the kid. Setting boundaries isn't heart-crushing, it's responsible. Your coworker needs a reality check fast.
    via SweetTrek5812
  • Beneficial_Test_5917. There are a number of ways this can be interpreted as weird behavior, none of which is good for anyone there. NTA.
    via Beneficial_Test_5917
  • Eastern_Condition863. NTA. You're not responsible for him encouraging his child's delusions. Obviously the child is craving a female motherly figure, but that's not on you to foster. It's incredibly inappropriate for him to allow her to do that without correction.
    via Eastern_Condition863
  • KronkLaSworda ⚫ It's not an innocent gesture. It's a cry for attention and help. Daddio needs to help her handle the truth that her mom's (allegedly) a deadbeat and needs to be there for her. Not let her continue the façade of calling you mom.
    via KronkLaSworda
  • Beneficial-Focus3702. NTA. People having kids expect the rest of the world to cater to them and their kids. Sorry man, but that kid your responsibility and if I don't feel comfortable being called mom, it's perfectly
    via Beneficial-Focus3702.
  • acceptable for me to tell the kid not to call me that. That said it's likely a coping mechanism for this kid so you may want to take that into consideration before you act further.
    via Beneficial-Focus3702.
  • WhiteDevilU91. Your coworker probably encourages it thinking it will lead to something with you.
    via WhiteDevilU91
  • TooSweet Jenna NTA Your coworker is learning how difficult it is to be a single parent and he's looking for someone (ie the OP) to date/marry so they can take care of his kid.
    via TooSweet Jenna

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boss worker employee manager job work coworkers working ceo parenting employees supervisor workplace company coworker business parents
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